Decor Ideas for Blank Walls

Blank Wall Ideas

How to Decorate Empty Walls

Though wall decor may be your last consideration when decorating, it’s a crucial part of any interior design. From family photos to paintings that coordinate with your color scheme, these pieces help you customize your space, making your house, condo or apartment feel more like a home. To fill empty walls, choose a favorite color palette or motif and search for accents and decor that fit the theme.

Whether you’re looking for a little inspiration to revamp a lackluster living room or you want to jazz up your blank kitchen wall, these ideas can help upgrade your design. Read on for some tips and tricks to get the most out of your empty wall space.

Colorful artwork is one of many decor options for empty walls.
Colorful artwork is one of many decor options for empty walls.

Overview

This post will provide suggestions and tips about:

Size Up Your Layout

The first step in learning how to decorate a blank wall is taking stock of the space you have to fill. Start by grabbing a notebook and evaluating your room. Take plenty of wall measurements, including the narrow spaces between windows and door frames. Make a rough sketch to help visualize how your wall will look, then ask yourself a few questions about what you want from your design:

  • Are there wall fixtures that would improve the functionality of the room?
  • Do I need more shelves or storage?
  • Can I create a theme with shapes or patterns?
  • Which colors do I want to use or highlight?
  • Are the furnishings mostly fabric, wood or metal?
  • What unique wall decor is popular with this room’s style?
  • Where should I display my collectibles, souvenirs or photographs?
  • How can wall decor make my room feel larger?

Addressing these questions can help you develop a solid plan and vision for how you want your space to look.

Choosing the Right Decor

The next step toward bringing your empty wall ideas to life is choosing decor that has a practical purpose. Look for pieces that cover blank walls while also increasing the usefulness of the space. Try wall sconces to brighten up a room that lacks natural light, or set up console tables and shelving to store and display keepsakes.

Sconces are an attractive, space-saving lighting option for blank walls.
Sconces are an attractive, space-saving lighting option for blank walls.

Empty Living Room Wall Ideas

When choosing decor for your living room’s blank walls, several items can improve the room’s efficiency. Wall art for living rooms can be beautiful and practical. Coat racks, key hooks or hall trees fill empty areas while keeping jackets, purses and other essentials organized. Spacious TV wall units transform otherwise unused space, providing a spot for your flat screen and storage for electronics.

Collectors can use empty walls to display their treasured mementos. Curios or high-mounted shelving highlights your beloved art pieces or souvenirs while making use of vertical space. Alternatively, try lining a blank living room wall with bookshelves for all of your favorite novels.

You can also take advantage of an empty living room wall to help the space feel more open. Make a small room seem bigger by angling decorative mirrors to reflect the opposite wall or light from an adjacent window. Likewise, hanging a single large-scale art print on a light-colored wall creates a focal point that makes rooms appear more spacious.

Useful decor for your walls, such as shelves, mounted storage units and mirrors, fill in empty spaces while providing versatile functionality for the room.
Useful decor for your walls, such as shelves, mounted storage units and mirrors, fill in empty spaces while providing versatile functionality for the room.

Blank Bedroom Wall Decor Ideas

Traditional furnishings such as dressers and full-length mirrors provide coverage for empty walls in bedrooms. Choose tall cabinets and bureaus for bedding and seasonal clothing, or set an ornamental ladder against the wall to serve as a frame for extra blankets or an en suite towel rack.

More empty bedroom wall ideas include floating shelves that provide display or storage space while freeing up room on your nightstand. Meanwhile, a large wall mirror makes getting ready in the morning much easier. For wide empty wall space in your bedroom, look for beds that have large headboards with towering silhouettes, or try a canopy or poster bed and create a charming focal point.

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The right headboard can serve as wall decor as well as a functional addition to your bed.
The right headboard can serve as wall decor as well as a functional addition to your bed.

Plain Kitchen and Dining Room Wall Ideas

Practical empty kitchen wall decorating ideas include chalkboards and corkboards for posting shopping lists, dinner menus and family notes. Large wall clocks that help you track cooking times are also useful. For storage, try a baker’s rack for small appliances, pantry items or cookware. Or, arrange a rectangle or square pub table set against an empty kitchen wall for casual meals or a place to work.

Use a counter-height table for quick meals and spare workspace.
Use a counter-height table for quick meals and spare workspace.

Space is often at a premium in the dining room, so getting the most out of your dining room wall decor is crucial. Consider wide buffets or servers with plenty of drawers and cupboards to store platters and dinnerware. Add a coordinating china cabinet to display delicate glassware and crystal. For the finishing touch, hang a wall-mounted wine rack so guests can see your selection of reds and whites.

Tall cabinets and servers offer practical storage that fills out your space, making them the perfect wall decor for kitchens and dining rooms.
Tall cabinets and servers offer practical storage that fills out your space, making them the perfect wall decor for kitchens and dining rooms.

Styling Your Walls

Once all the practical pieces are in place, add style and flair to your rooms with attractive wall decor. From gorgeous paintings to eye-catching accent pieces, these items tie your whole ensemble together while adding personality to your space.

Play with Your Palette

If you’re searching for inspiration, look to your existing furniture. For instance, a slate sectional topped with dove gray and beige toss pillows coordinates beautifully with wall decor in metallic finishes. Coordinating colors, materials and textures create a cohesive look throughout your space.

Select bold colors from your palette and incorporate them in your wall decor for a curated look.
Select bold colors from your palette and incorporate them in your wall decor for a curated look.

You can also use your wall decor to complete a monochromatic color scheme. If you have a dark wood bed with a brown and tan quilt, opt for wall sconces finished in bronze. On the other hand, try choosing an accent hue and running with it. Pair a silk floral centerpiece featuring hints of crimson and merlot in the dining room with an art print in red.

Maximize Motifs

Create visual flow by picking blank wall decor that mirrors the shapes and patterns of your furnishings. Mount a rectangular painting behind a dining set of the same shape, or hang a wall sculpture with interlinking rings near a round cocktail table in the den. If you have striped accent pillows, look for wall art with parallel lines. Use repeating geometric shapes to establish symmetry.

Coordinating your room’s decor style keeps things flowing in a visually pleasing way. For example, pairing rustic furniture with farmhouse wall decorations establishes a cozy, cottage-inspired space. Similarly, if your bedroom is chic and glamorous, opt for modern wall decor featuring dazzling metallic finishes.

This simple setup uses rectangular shapes in the wall art, table and books to create a pleasant geometric motif.
This simple setup uses rectangular shapes in the wall art, table and books to create a pleasant geometric motif.

Add a Personal Touch

Decorate empty walls in a way that shows off your personality and style. Abstract artwork, cityscapes and geometric pieces work best for a contemporary feel, while ornate plaques and floral prints complement a traditional look. For something a little out of the ordinary, consider rustic wall decor made with galvanized steel to coordinate with country cottage or farmhouse vibes.

Art for large walls, like a deluxe print hung over your living room sofa, adds depth and character to your space. Place a few smaller pieces throughout your kitchen to create a playful and inviting mood for family meals. Try dressing up empty walls in the kids’ rooms to show off their unique interests with fun decor.

Hanging unique artwork and decor on their walls lets kids express their personalities.
Hanging unique artwork and decor on their walls lets kids express their personalities.

Engage the Senses

Use textured wall coverings to bring dimension to your design. Hang a silky tapestry or an intricate, low-pile area rug on the wall to introduce different textures to a room with linen or leather furniture. Contrast materials and textures to create a charmingly eclectic bohemian vibe.

Macrame and woven tapestries bring captivating texture to blank walls.
Macrame and woven tapestries bring captivating texture to blank walls.

Decorating with Empty Picture Frames

Decorating with empty frames on the walls is another versatile technique. Simple and affordable, empty frame decor has a chic appeal that works with nearly any style. Large antique frames have a traditional allure, while sleek and streamlined empty frame wall decor gives the room a modern feel.

This sleek and simple decorating approach also allows you to mix and match differently styled frames for a distinct one-of-a-kind feel. Over time, you can fill the empty frames with photos of your favorite memories and loved ones to create an evolving work of art for your wall. Decorating walls with pictures also personalizes your space and reflects the things you love most.

For an eclectic look, mix and match frames in varying shapes and sizes.
For an eclectic look, mix and match frames in varying shapes and sizes.

Wall Design Ideas and Layouts

Once you have a plan and a few wall decor ideas, consider your placement of mirrors, artwork and tall furnishings in the room. Before you pick up the hammer and nails, there are a few things to think about:

  • Create a Gallery Wall: Cluster framed prints or family photos to create a stunning gallery wall. Visualize your arrangement by using painter’s tape to plot out picture placement. Experiment with various configurations before you commit to a layout.
  • Opt for Oversized Pieces: Using large blank wall decor allows you to cover more space with fewer items. Simply leaning an oversized mirror against a bedroom wall creates the illusion of openness with the added benefit of reflected light, while a single large piece of art makes a big statement.
  • Avoid Overcrowding: Too many items can result in a cluttered presentation. Whether you’re hanging artwork, arranging furniture or setting up tall sculptures, allow the walls to frame each piece by placing them a few inches apart.
Experiment with different shapes, colors and textures in your wall decor to create a space that feels distinctly yours.
Experiment with different shapes, colors and textures in your wall decor to create a space that feels distinctly yours.

Putting it all Together

Planning out your design, choosing your accents and deciding on an arrangement may feel like a big task, but the payoff is worth it. Carefully selected artwork, mirrors and furnishings personalize your home and give it a cozy, lived-in look. Wall decor transforms color palettes, themes and furniture into comfortable, familiar spaces for the entire family.